Some professors are accustomed to think of some things as 'only
slightly evil', while other things are considered as
most vile in their eyes.

They appear to think, that if they keep themselves from the worse
kind of sins—then they need not be so watchful against the minor forms of
evil. They will not lie, nor steal, nor swear, nor do other things which
would brand them as 'wicked' in the eyes of the community. But meanwhile
they are satisfied to be ungentle, unkind, selfish, bad-tempered, and
worldly!

But Paul's exhortation is, "Avoid every kind of evil." We are not to
pick out certain things and condemn these alone as evil, abstaining from
them; meanwhile indulging in pet vices and sinful habits of
our own. Whatever is sinful in even the slightest way—is to be
avoided!

A great many people know plenty of Scripture truth—but do not live
it out. Yet the real test of knowing Scripture—is obedience.
We really know only so much truth—as we get into our experience and conduct.
The only part of the Bible we have really learned—is what we have
learned to live. It is a beautiful thing when a person has been
well-taught; it is still more beautiful when he abides in the things which
he has been taught, living out the lessons in daily
life.

What should one, setting out to make his way through this world—take as the
goal of all his living and striving?

'Views of life' differ widely. Many think they are in this world to
make a career for themselves. They set out with some splendid
vision of success in their mind—and they devote their life to the
realizing of this vision. If they fail in this, they suppose they have
failed in life. If they achieve their dream—they consider themselves,
and are considered by others, as successful.

The world has no other standard of success:
it may be the amassing of wealth;
it may be the winning of power among men;
it may be the triumph of a certain skill;
or genius in art, in literature, in music, etc.
But whatever the definite object may be, it is purely an earthly ambition.

Applying this standardto life—but few men are really
successful. Great men are as rare as lofty mountain peaks. Only a few
win the high places; the mass remain in the low valleys. Only a few win
honor, rise into fame, and achieve 'distinction'; while the great multitude
remain in obscurity—or go down in the dust of earthly defeat.

Is this the only standard of success in life? Do all men, except for
the few who win earth's prizes, really fail? Is there no other kind
of success? The world's answer gives no comfort to those who find themselves
among 'the unhonored'.

But there is another sphere—there is a life in which success is not
material—but spiritual. One may utterly fail, so far as earthly
results are concerned; and yet, in the invisible spiritual realm—be a
splendid winner in the race!

The true test of life—is character. Everything else is extraneous,
belonging only to the husk, which shall fall off in the day of
ripening! Character is the kernel, the wheat—that which is true and
enduring. Nothing else is worth while—except that which we can carry with us
through death, and into eternity! "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18

It is altogether possible that a man may fail of winning any earthly
greatness, any distinction among men, anything that will immortalize
him in this world's calendars—and yet be richly and nobly successful in
spiritual things, in character, in a ministry of usefulness, in things which
shall abide—when mountains have crumbled into dust! It is possible for one
to fall behind in the race for wealth and honor—and yet all the while to be
building up in himself—an eternal fabric of beauty and strength!

What is the standard of success in the sphere of the unseen and the eternal?
It is the doing of the will of God. He who does the will of God—makes his
life radiant and beautiful, though in the world's scale he is rated
as having altogether failed in the battle. He who is true, just, humble,
pure, pleasing God and living unselfishly—is the only man who really
succeeds—while all others fail.

Really, there is no other final and infallible standard of living. One who
writes his name highest in earth's lists, and yet has not done God's
will—has failed, as God Himself looks at his career.

God had a purpose in our creation—and we only succeed, when our life carries
out this purpose. The most radiant career, as it appears to men, means
nothing—if it is not that for which God made us. We fail in life—if
we do not realize God's will for us.

We live worthily—only when we do what God sent us here to do. A
splendid career in the sight of men—has no splendor in God's sight!

Not the making of a fine worldly career, therefore—but the simple doing of
God's will—is the one true aim in living.
Only thus can we achieve real success. If we do this, though we fail
in the earthly race—we shall not fail in God's sight. We may make no name
among men, may raise for ourselves no monument of earthly glory—but
if we please God by a life of obedience and humble service, and build up
within us a character in which divine virtues shine, we shall have attained
abiding success!

See here, the fearful growth of the evilfeeling in Cain's
heart. It was only a thought at first—but it was admitted into the
heart and cherished there. Then it grew until it caused a terrible
crime! We learn here, the danger of cherishing even the smallest beginning
of bitterness; we do not know to what it will grow!

Some people think lightly of bad temper, laughing at it as a mere
harmless weakness; but it is a perilous mood to indulge, and we do not
know to what it may lead.

"Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you!" In His reproof of
Cain, the Lord likens his sin to a wild beast lying in hiding by his
door, ready to leap on him and devour him. This is true of all sin
which is cherished in the heart. It may long lie quiet and seem
harmless—but it is only a wild beast sleeping!

There is a story of a man who took a young tiger and resolved to
make a pet of it. It moved about his house like a kitten and grew
up fond and gentle. For a long time its savage, blood-thirsty nature
seemed changed into gentleness, and the creature was quiet and harmless.

But one day the man was playing with his 'pet', when by accident his hand
was scratched and the beast tasted blood. That one taste, aroused all the
fierce tiger nature, and the ferocious animal flew on his master and
tore him to pieces!

So it is, with the passions and lusts of the old nature, which are only
petted and tamed and allowed to reside in the heart. They will
crouch at the door in treacherous lurking, and in some unguarded hour—they
will rise up in all their old ferocity!

It is never safe to make pets of tigers!

It is never safe to make pets of little sins!

We never know what sin may grow into—if we let it abide in our
heart!

"Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him!" That is what came of the
passion of envy in Cain's heart! It was left unrebuked, unrepented
of, uncrushed—and in time it grew to fearful strength. Then in an evil
moment, its tiger nature asserted itself!

"Run for your lives! Do not stop anywhere in the plain. Do not
look back! Escape to the mountain, or you will die!" Genesis 19:17

This is still the gospel message. We are in danger of God's judgment—and
must escape from it—if we would live. We must not stay anywhere in all the
plain of sin—for there is no safe spot, no shelter anywhere, no place
where the fires of judgment will not fall.

Some people would like to compromise; they are willing to flee from some
sins—but not from others. There are some professed Christians who like
to stay on the borders of their old life. They are continually asking
whether they can do this or that, go here or there—and still
be Christians. They want to keep just as near to
Sodom as possible—so as not to be burnt up in Sodom's
destruction! The answer to all such questions is, "Run for your lives! Do
not stop anywhere in the plain. Do not look back! Escape to the mountain, or
you will die!" Even the borders are unsafe! The only safe place is
the mountain, the mountain where Christ's Cross stands!

Lot's wife 'looked back'. There had been a specific command, "Do not look
back!" Why Lot's wife looked back is not explained. Was it
curiosity to see the nature of the terrible destruction that she heard
roaring behind her? Or was it her dismay as she thought of her
beautiful home, with all its wealth of furnishing and decoration, and all
her jewels and garments and other possessions—which were now being consumed
in the great conflagration?

It would seem to be, that she was appalled at the thought of leaving and
losing all her beloved possessions, and paused in her flight and looked
back, with the hope that possibly she might yet run back and snatch some of
the ornaments or gems—something, at least, from the awful destruction. "But
Lot's wife looked back—and she became a pillar of salt!"

"Remember Lot's wife!" Luke 17:32. We should not miss the 'lesson' which our
Lord Himself teaches us from the tragic fate of this woman: we cannot
have both worlds! Lot's wife could have escaped with her husband and her
daughters—but she could escape only by resolutely and determinedly
leaving everything she had in Sodom. Her love for her possessions, cost
her her life!

Just so, there are thousands today, to whom God's message comes, "Run for
your lives! Do not stop anywhere in the plain. Do not look back! Escape to
the mountain, or you will die!" They somewhat desire to follow Christ—but
their love for the world is so intense that they cannot give it
up—they cannot renounce it. They must decide, however, which they will
renounce—Christ or the world. They cannot keep both!

In Lot's wife—we have an example of one who was almost saved—and yet
lost! She was lost because she loved the world.

"Remember Lot's wife!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Manifest the life of
Christ in our daily living
(J. R. Miller,
"Strength and Beauty")

True religion will manifest itself in every phase of life. We sit
down in the quiet and read our Bible—and get our lesson. We know it
now—but we have not as yet got it into our life—which is the thing we
must really do.

Knowing that we should love our enemies, is not the ultimate thing—actually
loving our enemies is.

Knowing that we should be patient, is not all—we are to practice the
lesson of patience, until it has become a habit in our life.

Many know the cardinal duties of Christian life—who yet have not
learned to live them. It is living them, however, that is true
religion.

It must always be our aim, to live our religion—to get Christ's love
of our heart, wrought out in a blessed ministry of kindness to others.
Christ lives in us; and it is ours to manifest
the life of Christ in our daily living.

We worship God on Sunday—in order to gather strength and grace to live for
God in the six days that follow. It is evident therefore, that it is in the
experiences of weekday life, far more than in the quiet of the Sunday
worship and the closet, that the real tests of religion come.

It is easy to assent with our mind to the commandments, when we sit
in the church, enjoying the services. But the assent of the life
itself can be obtained, only when we are out in the midst of temptation and
duty, in contact with others. There it is, alone, that we can get the
commandments wrought into ways of obedience, and lines of character. This is
the final object of all Christian teaching and worship—the transforming of
our life into the beauty of Christ!

"The Lord hears your murmurings which you murmur against Him!"
Exodus 16:8

This is startling! Does God really hear every discontented word we speak?

Does God hear when we grumble about the weather,
about the hard winter, about the late spring, about the dry summer, about
the wet harvest, about the high winds, about the storms?

Does God hear when we complain about our circumstances, about the hardness
of our lot, about our losses and disappointments?

If we could get into our hearts and keep there continually, the
consciousness that every word we speak is heard in heaven, and falls
upon God's ears before it falls upon any other ear—would we murmur as we
now do?

"The Lord hears your murmurings which you murmur against Him!"
Exodus 16:8

"And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every
idle word you speak!" Matthew 12:36

"I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out
each day and gather enough for that day." Exodus 16:4

They were not to lay up in store—but were taught to live simply by the
day. When night came, they did not have a supply of food left over for
the next day—but were entirely dependent upon God's new supply to come in
the morning.

In this method of providing, God was teaching all future generations a
lesson. When the Master gave the disciples the Lord's Prayer, He put this
same thought of life into it, for He taught us to say: "Give us this day—our
daily bread."

This is a most valuable lesson for every Christian
to learn. We should make a little fence of trust around each
day, and never allow any past or future care or anxiety to break in. God
does not provide in advance for our needs. We cannot get grace
today—for tomorrow's duties; and if we try to bear tomorrow's cares and
burdens today—we shall break down in the attempt.

TIME comes to us, not in years, not even in weeks—but in
little days. We have nothing to do with 'life in the aggregate' —that
great bulk of duties, anxieties, struggles, trials and needs, which belong
to a year or even to a month. We really have nothing to do
even with tomorrow.

Our sole business is with the one little day now passing, and the one
day's burdens will never crush us; we can easily carry them until the
sun goes down. We can always get along for one short day—and that is really,
all we ever have.

"Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that
belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and
infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys!" 1 Samuel 15:3

"Saul and the troopsspared Agag, and the best of the
sheep, cattle, and fatlings, as well as the young rams and the best
of everything else. But they did destroy all the worthless and
unwanted things." 1 Samuel 15:9

They utterly destroyed all the common spoil—but spared whatever was
especially good. They kept all the fat, plump sheep and cattle—and destroyed
the poor, lean and worthless ones. That is the way with a good many people.
They are quite ready to devote to God the things they do not care
much for—but the things that are desirable for their own use, they keep.

This spirit is shown in the way many give to the Lord's service. The
gold and silver and the banknotes they keep for themselves; while
they put the nickels and the pennies
in the collection plate!

It is shown, too, in the way they treat their own vices and lusts. Those
that they do not particularly love—they crush out with amazing zeal. But
their favorite vices and fat, rich sins—they spare for their own
indulgence!

The evil things in us—are our Amalekites, and we are to destroy them!
Yet how many of us, like Saul, cut away at the little Amalekites—and
spare the big Agags? Do not some of us also see the story of our own
disobediences and failures—in the way Saul treated God and His
commandments?

"Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you,pray for those who mistreat you.
If someone strikes you on one cheek,
turn to him the other also." Luke 6:27-29

We are too apt to resent insults and retaliate, when others say or do evil
things to us. The Christian way is either not to speak at all, or to give
the soft answer that turns away wrath. Not only is this the Christian way,
it is also the way of wisdom.

The quickest way to conquer an enemy—is
to treat him with kindness in return for his unkindness. Stopping to resent
every insult—keeps one continually fretful; whereas ignoring slights and
going on quietly with our own duty—is the way to get the better of them. The
best answer to sneers and scoffs and abuse—is a sweet, quiet, beautiful life
of patience and gentleness.

The lesson our Master teaches us, is . . .
to bear wrong patiently,
to forgive injury,
to return kindness for unkindness,
to return good for evil,
to return love for hate.

It is a fatal injury to his life—when one allows himself to grow bitter, to
cherish resentment, to let envy or any hurt feeling rankle in his heart. At
last love is utterly driven out, and dark and malignant passions take full
possession.

"I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as
living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your
spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1

The godly life is not one of ease, pleasure and self-indulgence.

We are taught to present our bodies, as a living sacrifice unto
God. Ancient offerings were brought to the altar, and presented dead.
But the Christian sacrifice, instead of being poured out in a bloody
oblation, is to be a living sacrifice—of service, of love, of
devotion.

The great sacrifice of Christ is both the model for all Christian
life, and also its inspiration. We look at His six hours on the
cross—as if that were its only act and expression. But the cross
was not endured by Christ merely during those six hours on Calvary; it
was in all His life, in every day and hour of it. Everything He did was
in love, and love is always a living sacrifice. He was always
sacrificing Himself. On Calvary, He only wrote the word out in
capital letters!

The cross stands not merely for the sufferings of Christ endured in
redeeming sinners—but also for the law of love and of sacrifice in every
department of Christian living. It is not enough to have the cross on
our churches, as a symbol of redemption; or to wear crucifixes as
ornaments; the cross and the crucifix must be in the heart—and
manifested in the life!

We talk a great deal about the love of Christ—but we must strive
to illustrate it and reproduce in our own lives, in our
own measure—the sweetness, the charity, the kindness and the helpfulness
of Jesus Christ. The cross is everywhere. The more of the
'sacrificial' quality we get into our life—the diviner and the lovelier
our life will be.

We do not have to be crucified on pieces of
wood—to bear a cross, and make a living sacrifice. The
cross must be in the lives of those who follow Christ; not
branded on their bodies—but wrought into their character, their
disposition, their conduct, their spirit! We cannot live a Christian
life for a day, without coming to points of sacrifice. The cross of
Christ does not take our own cross from us—Christ does not
bear our cross for us. His cross becomes the law of our life, and
makes it all sacrificial. Every sacrificial thing we do, reveals the
cross. The Beatitudes are all sacrificial. No one can live the
thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, and not crucify self
continually.

All sacrifice at length blossoms into Christlike beauty, sweetness and
joy.

It takes a great deal of grace to grow old
sweetly and beautifully. It is not possible to carry the
alertness and energy of young manhood, into advanced years. Yet if we live
wisely and rightly all our lives—old age ought to be the best of
life. We certainly ought to make it beautiful and godly, for our life is not
finished until we come to its very last day.

We ought to be wiser when we are old—than ever we have been in any
former years. We ought to have learned by experience. We ought to be
better in every way—with more of God's peace in our hearts, with more
gentleness and patience. We ought to have learned self-control, and to be
better able to rule our own spirit. We ought to have more love, more joy,
more thoughtfulness, to be more considerate, to have more humility.

Old age never should be the dregs of the years, the mere cinder
of a burnt-out life. One may not have the vigor and strenuousness of the
mid-years—but one should be every way truer, richer-hearted, holier. If the
outward man has grown weaker and feebler—the inner man should
have grown stronger and Christlier.

Some people come to birthdays
regretfully. They do not like to think that they are growing older.
But there is no reason for regret, if only we are living our years as we
should live them, as we may live them.

Empty years—are a dishonor. Years filled with sin—are blots in
the calendar. We should be ashamed to come to a birthday at the close of a
year of idleness, indolence, neglect, or unfaithfulness. Jesus said we must
give account for every idle word we speak. It will be an unhappy
reckoning that we must make, after an idle year, or for idle hours and days
in a year.

But there need never be a shadow of regret in coming to a birthday, when we
have lived our best through all the days. If we go through a year
walking with God—we shall come to its close with enlarged life, with
nobler character, with richer virtues—in every way a more godly man or
woman.

Growth is a law of life. When growth ceases, death is beginning. God counts
our age, not by our birthdays—but by the
advances which His eye sees in our inner life. Growth, too, is not marked by
height or weight or by accumulations of money or property
or earthly honor—but by an increase in godly character.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

We are all builders. We may not erect any house or temple on a city
street for human eyes to see—but every one of us builds an edifice which God
sees!

Life is a building. It rises slowly, day by day, through the years. Every
new lesson we learn, lays another block on the edifice which is rising
silently within us.
Every experience,
every touch of another life on ours,
every influence that impresses us,
every book we read,
every conversation we have,
every act in our commonest days—
adds something to our invisible building.
All of life furnishes the materials which add to our life-wall.

Many people build noble character structures in this world. But there
are also many who build only base, shabby huts, without beauty—which will be
swept away in the testing fires of judgment!

There are many, too, whose life-work presents the sorry spectacle of an
unfinished building. There was a beautiful plan to begin with,
and the work was promising for a little time—but after a while it was
abandoned and left standing, with walls halfway up—a useless fragment, open
and exposed, an incomplete inglorious ruin—telling no story of past
splendor—as do the ruins of some old castle or coliseum—a monument only
of folly and failure!

Sin in some form draws many a builder away from his work—to leave it
unfinished.

It may be the world's fascinations, which lure him from Christ's
side.

It may be evil companions, which tempt him from loyal friendship to
the Savior.

It may be riches, which enter his heart and blind his eyes to the
attractions of heaven.

It may be some secret debasing lust, which gains power over him and
paralyzes his spiritual life.

Many are those now amid the world's throngs—who once sat at the
Lord's Table and were among God's people! Their lives are unfinished
buildings, towers begun with great enthusiasm—and then left to tell
their sad story of failure to all who pass by. They began to
build—and were not able to finish.

It is sad to think how much of this unfinished work, God sees as He
looks down upon our earth. Think of the good beginnings which never
came to anything in the end. Think of the excellent resolutions which
are never carried out. Think of the noble life-plans entered upon by
so many young people with ardent enthusiasm—but soon given up. Think of the
beautiful visions and high hopes which might have been
splendid realities—but which have faded out, with not even one earnest
attempt to work them into life!

In all aspects of life—we see these abandoned buildings. Many
homes present the spectacle of abandoned dreams of love. For a
time, the beautiful vision shone—and two hearts tried to make it come
true—but they gave their dream up in despair, either enduring in
misery—or going their own sad and separate ways.

So life everywhere is full of beginnings, which are never carried on
to completion.

There is . . .
not a soul-wreck on the streets,
not a prisoner serving out a sentence behind prison bars,
not a debased, fallen person anywhere—
in whose soul, there were not once visions of beauty, high hopes, holy
thoughts and purposes, and high resolves of an ideal of something lovely and
noble. But alas! the visions, the hopes, the purposes, the resolves—never
grew into more than beginnings. God bends down and sees a great
wilderness of unfinished buildings, bright possibilities unfulfilled,
noble might-have-beens abandoned; ghastly ruins now, sad memorials
only of failure!

The lesson from all this, is that we should . . . finish our work,
allow nothing to draw us away from our duty,
never become weary in following Christ,
persevere from the beginning of our ideals—steadfast unto the end.

We should not falter under any burden, in the face of any danger, before any
demand of cost or sacrifice.

No discouragement,
no sorrow,
no worldly attraction,
no hardship—
should weaken for one moment our determination to be faithful unto death!
No one who has begun to build for Christ—should leave an unfinished,
abandoned life-work, to his own eternal grief!

There hangs about us, a sort of
a strange, indefinable something, which we call personal
influence—that has its effect on every other life on which it falls. It
goes with us wherever we go. It is not something we can have when we want to
have it—and then lay aside when we will, as we lay aside a garment. It is
something that always pours out from our lives . . .
as light from a lamp,
as heat from flame,
as perfume from a flower.
The ministry of personal influence is something very wonderful. Without
being conscious of it, we are always impressing others by this strange
power that exudes from us. Others watch us—and their thinking and
actions are modified by our influence.

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the
most of every opportunity." Ephesians 5:15-16

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting
arms!" Deuteronomy 33:27

The picture suggested, is that of a little child, lying in the strong arms
of a father who is able to withstand all storms and dangers.

At the two extremes of life, childhood and old age—this
promise comes with special assurance.

"He shall gather the lambs in His arms, and carry them in His bosom"
(Isaiah 40:11), is a word for the children.

"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He; I am He who will
sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will
sustain you and I will rescue you!" (Isaiah 46:4), brings its
blessed comfort to the aged.

The thought of God's embracing arms is very suggestive. What does an
arm represent? What is the thought suggested by the arm of
God enfolded around His child?

One suggestion, is protection. As a father puts his arm about his
child when it is in danger—so God protects His children. Life is full of
peril. There are temptations on every hand! Enemies lurk
in every shadow—enemies strong and swift! Yet we are assured that nothing
can separate us from the love of God. "Underneath are the everlasting arms!"

Another thought, is affection. The father's arm drawn around a
child—is a token of love. The child is held in the father's bosom,
near his heart. The shepherd carries the lambs in his bosom. John lay
on Jesus' bosom. The mother holds the child in her bosom, because she loves
it. This picture of God embracing His children in His arms—tells of His love
for them—His love is tender, close, intimate.

Another thought suggested by an arm, is strength. The arm is a symbol
of strength. His arm is omnipotence. "In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting
strength" (Isaiah 26:4). His is an arm that can
never be broken! Out of this clasp—we can never be taken. "I give
them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them
out of My hand!" (John 10:28)

Another suggestion is endurance. The arms of God are
"everlasting." Human arms grow weary even in love's embrace; they cannot
forever press the child to the bosom. Soon they lie folded in death.

A husband stood by the coffin of his beloved wife after only one
short year of wedded happiness. The clasp of that love was very sweet—but
how brief a time it lasted, and how desolate was the life that
had lost the precious companionship!

A little baby two weeks old—was left motherless. The mother clasped
the child to her bosom and drew her feeble arms about it in one loving
embrace; the little one will never more have a mother's arm around it.

So pathetic is human life with—its broken affections, its little
moments of love, its embraces that are torn away in one hour. But these arms
of God—are everlasting arms! They shall never unclasp!

There is another important suggestion in the word "underneath." Not
only do the arms of God embrace His child—but they are underneath —
always underneath! That means that we can never sink—for these
arms will ever be beneath us!

Sometimes we say the waters of trouble are very deep; like great
floods they roll over us. But still and forever, underneath the
deepest floods—are these everlasting arms! We cannot sink below them—or
out of their clasp!

And when death comes, and every earthly thing is gone from beneath
us, and we sink away into what seems darkness—out of all human love, out of
warmth and gladness and life—into the gloom and strange mystery of
death—still it will only be—into the everlasting arms!

This view of God's divine care is full of inspiration and comfort. We
are not saving ourselves. A strong One, the mighty God—holds us in
His omnipotent clasp! We are not tossed like a leaf on life's wild
sea—driven at the mercy of wind and wave. We are in divine
keeping. Our security does not depend upon our own feeble, wavering
faith—but upon the omnipotence, the love, and the faithfulness of the
unchanging, the eternal God!

No power in the universe can snatch us out of His hands! Neither death nor
life, nor things present, nor things to come—can separate us from Hiseverlasting arms!

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God
in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, who takes His
name in vain." Exodus 20:7

This commandment bids us to speak of God with that frame of spirit which is
agreeable to His dignity and solemnity and the majesty:
that is, with the utmost sincerity, humility and reverence. O what high
thoughts ought we to entertain of such a Being! In what holy awe should we
stand of Him!

Anything pertaining to God should be spoken of with the greatest sobriety.

God’s Name is taken in vain—when we use it without due consideration and
reverence. Whenever we make mention of Him before whom the seraphim veil
their faces—we ought seriously and solemnly to ponder His infinite majesty
and glory—and bow our hearts in deepest prostration before that Name.

God's Name is not to be sported with and tossed to and fro upon every light
tongue. O my reader, form the habit of solemnly considering whose Name it
is you are about to utter. It is the Name of Him who is present with
you, who is hearing you pronounce it. He is jealous of His honor, and He
will dreadfully avenge Himself upon those who have slighted Him!

It has become almost impossible to walk the streets or to enter mixed
company without hearing the sacred Name of God treated with
blasphemous contempt. The novels of the day, the stage, and even radio (and
more lately television, the cinema, and the press) are terrible offenders,
and without doubt this is one of the fearful sins against Himself, for which
God is now pouring out His judgments upon us.

God is dreadfully incensed by this sin, and in the common commission of this
Heaven-insulting crime, our country has incurred terrible guilt! "The Lord
will not hold him guiltless that takes His Name in vain." Sore punishment
shall be his portion, if not in this life, then most assuredly so, eternally
so, in the life to come!

We are poor, weak, inconsistent creatures—if left but a little to ourselves.

When I think how cold, dull and heartless I have been; how often I have
wandered, how often trifled upon the brink of temptation; when I consider
what powerful, vigilant, and subtle enemies are combined against me;
and how many professors have fallen on my right hand and my left—I am
amazed at the greatness of His mercy in preserving me! I am a living commentary, that there is forgiveness with
Him—and that He is able to save to the uttermost!

We have a beautiful prayer at the close of Psalm 19: "Let the words
of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your
sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." There could be no higher
standard of life, than is set for us in this prayer.

The conduct may be blameless—while the thoughts are stained
with sin. It is easier to keep our acts without fault—than to keep
our feelings, our desires, and our affections pure. We may do no outward act
of cruelty or unkindness; while our hearts may be full of jealousies,
envies, and all selfishness. We are to seek that our thoughts be so
white and clean—that they will be acceptable in God's sight.

The prayer covers our words, our thoughts, and our
meditations; each a closer test than the one before. It is a great thing
to be faultless in speech—but perfect grammar is not enough. Our
words may be beautiful and graceful—and yet our thoughts may be
full of hypocrisy, of deceit, of all evil! The prayer here is that our
thoughts may please God. This is a higher spiritual attainment, than
merely faultless words.

Then, a still higher test of life—is our meditation. Meditations are
our deepest thoughts, the quiet ponderings of our hearts. Meditation is
almost an obsolete word in these times of hustle and bustle. The word
belongs rather to the days when men had much time to think—and think deeply.
We meditate when we are alone, when we are shut away from others. Our minds
then follow the drift of our own desires, dispositions, and imaginations. If
our hearts are clean and good—our meditations are pure and holy. But if our
hearts are evil and unclean—our meditations are of the same moral quality.
Thus, our meditations are an infallible test
of our real self. "As a man thinks in his heart—so is he."
Proverbs 23:6

This prayer is, therefore, for a life of the highest character—one
acceptable to God, not only in words and thoughts—but also in
meditations. Such a life, everyone who loves God and would be like
God—should seek to live!

"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from hidden faults. Keep back
your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion
over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression." Psalm
19:12, 13

Here the Psalmist prays to be kept from committing presumptuous sins. He
knows the danger there is in such sins—and so pleads to be held back from
them, that is, from willful, conscious, high-handed sins.

Mark the teaching, too, that these presumptuous sins spring out of the
minute hidden faults. From hidden, obscure, undiscovered faults—come
presumptuous sins.

A slight moral weakness—grows into an evil tendency;
and the evil tendency indulged—develops into a loathsome vice;
and the loathsome vice—ripens into a presumptuous sin!

We need to guard against carelessness concerning 'little sins'. The hidden
fault lurking in the nature—may grow into a presumptuous sin! Sow a thought—and you will reap an
act;
sow an act—and you will reap a habit;
sow a habit—and you will reap a character;
sow character—and you will reap a destiny!

The course of sin is terrible! The little beginnings of sin—grow into
appalling consequences! Be afraid of little sins and temptations.

There are some people who are always courting danger. Sin seems to
have a fascination for them. One of the petitions of the Lord's
Prayer is, "Lead us not into temptation." To expose ourselves needlessly to
temptation, is presumption! Yet there are many who do this.
They play with fire—and wonder why they are burned!
They dally with 'little sins', and end in shameful degradation
at the last! They pay the penalty in moral and spiritual ruin.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A god who
does not rule all things absolutely

(Don Fortner)

"Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him!" Psalm 115:3A god who does not
rule all things absolutely is no God at all—but only a weak,
frustrated, defeated idol, carved from one of the trees in the dark forest
of man’s depraved imagination!

"I know that the LORD is great, that
our Lord is greater than all gods. The LORD does whatever pleases Him,
in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths!" Psalm
135:5-6

"All the peoples of the earth are
regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him:
'What have You done?' " Daniel 4:35

"No good thing will He withhold, from those who walk uprightly."
Psalm 84:11

This may seem to be a surprising statement at first glance. Does God
withhold no good thing from His people? We must focus on the word "good". It
is notmerely the things which we want—that God always gives.
Nor is it not the things which we think are good—that God gives.
Perhaps they are not really 'good things'—as God sees them. We
must always leave to Him—to decide whether they are good or not. He is wiser
than we are—and knows just what effect on us, the things we crave
would have. We must submit all our requests to Him—for
final revision and approval, when we make them.

This is the teaching about prayer, so prominent in the New Testament,
which bids us to add to all our most earnest pleadings: "Nevertheless not
my will—but may Your will be done." If the thing we ask for does
not come—we must therefore conclude that in God's sight, it is not a "good
thing" for us. Thus it is—that God's withholdings are as great a
blessing to us—as His bestowings!

There is another phrase here, which we must study. It is "from those who
walk uprightly" that God will withhold no good thing. It is only when we
are walking obediently, in God's ways—that we have a right to claim this
promise. For, "if I regard iniquity in my heart—the Lord will not hear me!"
Psalm 66:18

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know
my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in
the everlasting way!" Psalm 139:23-24

It will be worth our while—to think seriously of the things in us—that only
God can see. There are sins which are hidden from ourselves, of which our
conscience is not aware—our unknown errors. The evil in us which lies too
deep to be discovered. There is a SELF in us, which even we ourselves
do not see! There are depths of our being—into which our own eyes
cannot pierce. You may say that you know of no sins, errors, or faults in
yourself, and you may be sincere; still this is not evidence that you are
sinless.

Our conscience is not the final court. It is not enough to have the
approval of our own heart. There are errors and evils in the holiest life on
earth—which only God's eye can detect. We must ask God to search us,
if we would be made clean.

We cannot see our own faults—even as our neighbors can see them.
There is wisdom in the wish that we might see ourselves, as others see us—for
it would free us from many a blunder and foolish notion.

We are prejudiced in our own favor. We are disposed to be
charitable toward our own shortcomings. We make all sorts of
allowances for our own faults. We are wonderfully patient with
our own weaknesses. We are blind to our own blemishes. We look
at our good qualities through magnifying glasses; and at our faults
and errors with the lenses reversed—making them appear very small. We see
only the best of ourselves.
If you were to meet yourself on the street some morning—that
is, the person God sees you to be—you would probably not recognize
yourself!

We remember the little story that the prophet Nathan told King David, about
a rich man's injustice toward a poor man, and how David's anger flamed up.
"This man must die!" cried the king. He did not recognize himself—in
the man he so despised, until Nathan quietly said, "You are the man!"

We are all too much like David.

If the true chronicle of your life were written in a book, in the
form of a story, and you were to read the chapters over—you probably
would not identify the story as your own!

We do not know our real self. We do not imagine there is so much about us
that is morally ugly and foul, that is positively wicked. But God searches
and knows the innermost and hidden things of our heart!

"Search me, O God, and know my
heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive
way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way!"

Every church should be in its community, as nearly as possible—what
Christ would be—if He lived again in human form in a house just where
the church stands.

Imagine Jesus living here, and people coming to Him just as they used to do
when He had His home for many months at a certain home on a certain street
in Capernaum. Would not our church become a
wonderful Mecca for weary pilgrims? The sorrowing, would
come to find comfort. People having problems and perplexities,
would come to have them solved. Those who have stumbled and fallen,
would come to be forgiven and helped to start again. The weary, would
come to get rest. This corner would be a great resort—for all who
feel any need of help.

Then all who come—would find a home for their souls here. We know how
Christ welcomed all who came to Him. He was everybody's friend! No
one was ever turned away from Him, unhelped. The church should be to
the people who come to it—what Christ was to those who came to Him.
It should be a true home of the soul.

It is in a spiritual way, that the church should chiefly serve us. Some
people forget this, and think that it is the business of the church to
provide entertainment for those who come to it. We sometimes hear
people complain that the church does nothing to furnish 'good times' for the
young. But frankly, that is not the purpose of the church.

Are schools—public schools, high schools, colleges—established to
entertain those who come to them? Places of amusement are established to
entertain—but the purpose of a school is to teach, to educate, to
train the mind, to develop the intellect.

Just so, the mission of a church is not to amuse, to provide
fun and entertainment—but to lead people to Christ, to train
them in Christian duties, to build up godly character in them, and to
prepare them for usefulness and service to the souls of men.

Entertainment is never to be the great purpose of the church. The
aim must always be to honor God—and make the worshipers more holy!

"You are absolutely beautiful, My beloved! There is
no spot in you!" Song of Solomon 4:7

Having pronounced His Church positively full of beauty—our Lord confirms His
praise by a precious negative, "There is no spot in you!" As if the
thought occurred to the Bridegroom that the carping world would insinuate
that He had only mentioned her lovely parts—and had purposely omitted those
features which were deformed or defiled—He sums up all by declaring her
universally and entirely lovely, and utterly devoid of stain.

A spot may soon be removed, and is the very least thing that can
disfigure beauty—but even from this little blemish, the believer is
delivered in his Lord's sight. If He had said there is no hideous scar,
no horrible deformity, no repulsive ulcer—we might even then
have marveled. But when He testifies that she is free from the slightest
spot—all these other forms of defilement are included, and the height of
wonder is increased.

If He had but promised to remove all spots in heaven, we would have had
eternal reason for joy. But when He speaks of it as already done—who
can restrain the most intense emotions of satisfaction and delight! O my
soul, here is marrow and fatness for you; eat your full, and be satisfied
with royal dainties!

Christ Jesus has no quarrel with His spouse. She often wanders from Him, and
grieves Him—but He does not allow her faults to affect His love. He
sometimes chides—but it is always in the tenderest manner, with the kindest
intentions—it is "My love" even then. There is no remembrance of our
follies. He does not cherish ill thoughts of us—but He pardons and loves as
well after the offence—as before it! It is well for us that it
is so, for if Jesus were as mindful of injuries as we are—how could He
commune with us? Our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too
well—to take any offence at our follies and faults!

"So teach us to number our days aright—that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Psalm 90:12

What is it to number our days?

One way is to keep a careful record of them. That is a mathematical
numbering. Some people keep diaries and put down everything they
do—where they go, what they see, whom they meet, the books they read. But
mere adding of days is not the numbering that was in the
thought of the Psalmist.

There are days in some lives—that add nothing to life's treasures, and that
leave nothing in the world which will make it better or richer. There are
people who live year after year—and might as well never have lived at all!
Simply adding days—is not living! If that is all you are going to do
with the new year—you will only pile up an added burden of guilt.

Why do people not think of the sin of wasting life?

If you saw a man standing by the sea—and flinging diamonds into the
water—you would say he was insane. Yet some of us are standing by the
sea—and flinging the diamond days, one by one, into its dark floods!
Mere eating and sleeping, and reading the papers, and going about the
streets, and putting in the time—is not living!

Another way of numbering our days, is illustrated by the story of a
prisoner who when he entered his cell, put a mark on the wall for each
of the days he would be incarcerated. Then each evening he would rub off one
of these marks—he had one day less to stay in prison.

Some people seem to live much in this way. Each evening—they have one day
less to live. Another day is gone, with its opportunities, its privileges,
its responsibilities and its tasks—gone beyond recall.

Now, if the day has been filled with duty and love and service—its page
written all over with pure, white thoughts and records of gentle deeds—then
it is well; its passing need not be mourned over. But merely to have to
rub it off at the setting of the sun, leaving in it nothing but a story
of idleness, uselessness, selfishness, and lost opportunities, is a sad
numbering!

What is the true way of numbering our days? The prayer tells us, "So
teach us to number our days aright—that we may gain a heart of wisdom." That
is, we are so to live—that we shall get some new wisdom out of each day to
carry on with us.

Life's lessons cannot all be learned from books. The lessons
may be set down in books—but it is only in actual living—that we can
really learn them.

For example, patience. You may learn all about patience from a
sermon, from a teacher, or from a book, or even from the Bible. But that
will not make you patient. You can get the patience—only by long
practice of the lesson, in life's experiences.

Or take gentleness. You can read in a few paragraphs what gentleness
is, how it lives. But that will not make you gentle.

Take thoughtfulness. You can learn in a short lesson what it is and
how beautiful it is. But you will not be thoughtful, the moment you
have learned the definition. It will probably take you several
years—to get the beautiful lesson learned.

"So teach us to number our days aright—that we may gain a heart of wisdom."